A Cadmean Victory by DarknessEnthroned

Chapter 59: True Freedom

Disclaimer: Nothing is mine; everything is J K Rowling's.

A new chapter! A nice, undramatic chapter full of fluff and romance and all things sweet. Sadly not technically a Fleur chapter though.

Chapter 59

He was woken by a warmth on his chest, a soft, pulsing heat that he knew to be from the locket Fleur had gifted him.

Groggily he searched for his wand under his pillow, casting a tempus charm once he had retrieved.

Nine.

Harry blinked, rubbed his eyes, and checked again.

The numbers didn't change.

Normally he was long since awake and up by now, he woke up at just after seven every day without fail. The extra use of the time-turner was tiring him out quicker than he had anticipated. At least this morning was without lessons, he had Runes and Herbology in the afternoon, but only History of Magic now, and he never, ever, went to that lesson.

The locket pulsed again, and Harry swiftly cast a silencing ward over his bed, transfigured his clothes and made an attempt to control his hair. Fleur would not be fooled, but he didn't want to look completely awful to her.

'Morning, Fleur,' he smiled, opening the locket.

'You finally answered,' she frowned, scrunching up her face.

'Sorry,' Harry apologised. 'I was asleep.'

'So I can see,' she smirked. 'You look quite attractive like that, come and see me, I have your polyjuice and things we need to talk about.'

'That sounds ominous,' Harry grinned. 'Have I done anything deserving of being scorched?'

'No,' she said slowly, pursing her lips to consider it, 'though I still owe you for your joke in Gringotts.'

'I was hoping you had forgotten,' Harry told her. 'If it's any consolation Katie definitely knows that I'm yours.'

'Oh,' Fleur managed to pull off complete innocence for longer than Gabrielle, but only for a moment.

'You made your mark,' Harry laughed. 'She found it funny, and then hit me over the head with a book for making the joke.'

'Good,' Fleur smiled, 'you deserved it. Now hurry up and come here,' she eyed him deliberately demurely, 'I've missed you.'

'Coming, ma princesse,' he said, holding the mirror out so she could see him bow. Fleur tried to scowl at him, but ended up smiling helplessly and shaking her head.

'Do not let Gabby hear you call me that,' she warned.

'Will it really make her interest in our romance any worse?' Harry asked.

'No,' Fleur admitted, waving goodbye, 'but she'll insist on being given the same nickname since you saved her from the lake.'

No saying that in front of Gabrielle, Harry agreed.

The inevitable moment of explanation to Fleur's parents that would follow him being seen calling both of the Delacours' daughters princesses was to be avoided at all costs.

Stripping off his pajamas, he quickly changed into a fresh set of robes, one of the few pairs he actually kept in the dormitory rather than with the rest of his things in the chamber, and pulled back the hangings.

Everyone else had gone, presumably to the Great Hall for breakfast and then back to the common room.

He disillusioned himself, sneaking out past his friends seemed easier and preferable to having to lie or mislead them. It also gave him him an alibi for the few things that were on his to do list for the day.